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After drowning myself in Vegas’s neon lights and booze I was eager to get back to some climbing in good ole’ Utah. The warmer temps had us hunting for some cooler cliffs a little higher in the Utah Hills. Last minute we decided on the Black and Tan that holds one of my abandoned projs and many possible others. This was one of the first limstone cliffs I ever climbed on. I remember Joe being so excited to show me “LIMESTONE!!”, his favorite climbing medium. Of course since then we’ve seen tons of limstone in way bigger, crazier formation, but I still have a little place in my heart for this blue gem. Beyond that I have serious respect as it’s hard as hell here, never giving up and demanding finger strength from Bishop and body tension from Hueco.
We ran into Jacinda Hunter and her fam at the cliff. I had heard through the super short climber grapevine she was trying Breaking the Law, an unfathomable 14b. We had a short chat about projecting and the love, hate, make you go crazy process involved; her’s just a little more intense than mine, as she has a full time gig as a nurse and family of 5! Next thing I know we’re down on the lower cliff and hear some grunting and trying, Joe looks over and she’s sure enough she’s shaking out for the headwall. Pretty incredible send and inspiring send in so many ways! Good job JC!! You’re a badass!!!!

Back at the ranch the weather has taken a severe turn. My sunny skies and endless blues have been replaced with gray overcast and high-pitched winds. There’s rarely rain here in the sense of the word you’d find out east, but it doesn’t take as much rain here to unsettle the desert. I’ve been continuing my skip around project method, trying various climbs every other day. I was pretty close to a couple of them, but it felt hard to determine considering the finicky boulder-style climbing. Hitting hard moves is like one and a million, and I almost forgot the type of concentration is needed to try a single movement again and again, uh boring! Yesterday I finally put down one of this climbs, shortening my list to a still staggering length. Hopefully the confidence building will be enough to keep crossing names off the list.In the lull of dismal weather I read a lot of old climbing mags lying around the ranch. There was an interesting editors note by Duane Raleigh back in 2002 Climbing No. 213, discussing the internets effect on climbing. He focused mainly on probable downfall of local gear shops due to online buying. It’s funny to see how many of his ideas did follow through, but how in the grander scheme instead of allowing the web to ruin business, climbers and the outdoor industry have very much become inet business and learned to work the system. Geez, economics are in such a different place at this point I’m not sure if anything anyone wrote a few years ago holds water.

It’s been a great past week at our new place. Unpacking and chillin and cooking and showering. The comfort has finally sunk in. Joe has even mentioned in passing how he’s already had enough home life to get him siked-up for the road again, I of course acted like i didn’t hear him. We managed to hit a new cliff almost everyday since we’ve been here, and today our over excitement finally turned on us. By the time we hiked up to the Cathedral (it was an unusually warm day) I knew the approach alone was enough for myself. A feeble attempt to warm-up proved me right and we had lunch under our projects and called it a day. Apparently our enthusiasm isn’t enough to force out-of-shape bodies into multiple days of treacherous hikes and hangdog session; coupled with desert runs and two dollar pilates at the rec center. No there must be rest, real rest, like sitting on your ass eating ice cream rest. Then we’ll see about all that climbing crap.  So I hate our camera right now and have insisted instead on just finding old climbing shots and revisiting them. Here are some OLD SCHOOL shots of me during my intro years climbing in the Gunks, Ny. Oh yeah, so NYC.  Photos Dave Toth   This pic is actually in Bishop, during my second big road trip right after college. My poor parents. If they had only known what these fun trips were going to bring! Photo Jackie Moore